Autopay Guidelines

Eligibility

• Residential and commercial City of Austin utility customers may participate.
• You must have a checking or savings account.
• Your utility account must be paid in full.

Starting Autopay

With Autopay, payment for your utility bill is deducted automatically from your bank account each month. The payment amount will be the total balance of your utility bill. The payment date will be on or up to two business days before the due date.

You will continue to receive your monthly bill in the mail, unless you enroll in eBill.

For most customers, Autopay takes effect on the next bill after you sign up. You should continue making payments manually until you see the Autopay message on your bill. A Customer Care Representative will contact you if we need more information. Once Autopay starts, you’ll see a message on each bill stating it will be paid automatically with Autopay.

Budget Billing and Autopay

If you are on Budget Billing and sign up for Autopay, the budget billing amount will be deducted automatically from your bank account each month.

Charitable Contributions and Autopay

If you have signed up to make monthly charitable contributions, they will be included in the payment amount each month.

If you are on Autopay and want to make a one-time charitable contribution, you can do so by mailing a check to:

City of Austin - Payment Processing
P.O. Box 684368
Austin, TX 78768-4368

Please include your utility account number (found at the top of your bill) and specify the amount to credit to the program(s). Charitable programs include the Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and the Tree Planting Fund.

Transferring Autopay to Another Address

If you move within the City of Austin utility service area, Autopay will move with you automatically.

Autopay and Multiple Accounts

If you want to use Autopay for multiple accounts, you will need to sign up for each account. To do this using Online Customer Care, you’ll need to log in to each account and sign up for Autopay. If you use the paper Autopay form, you’ll need to fill out a form for each account.

Autopay and Multiple Premises

If you have service at multiple premises billed to one account, your Autopay payment will be for all the charges for those premises.

Disputing a Bill on Autopay

If you need to dispute a bill, call Customer Care at (512) 494-9400. If you have questions about charges, be sure to call at least 10 business days before the bill is due.

Changing Autopay Bank Information

If you use your Online Customer Care account to change your Autopay bank information, it should take effect immediately.

If you call in or use the paper Autopay form to change your Autopay bank information, please allow 10 business days for the change to take effect. If the City of Austin receives your request at least 10 business days before the due date printed on your utility bill, the change will take effect for the bill currently due. If the City of Austin receives your request less than 10 business days before the due date printed on your utility bill, the change will not take effect until the next bill.

Canceling Autopay

If you use your Online Customer Care account to cancel Autopay, it should take effect immediately.

If you call in or use the paper Autopay form to cancel, please allow 10 business days for your request to stop Autopay to be processed. If the City of Austin receives your request at least 10 business days before the due date printed on your utility bill, it will take effect for that billing period. If the City of Austin receives your request less than 10 business days before the due date, it will not take effect until the next bill.

Once the request to stop Autopay is processed, your bill will no longer include a message stating it will be paid automatically with Autopay.

Insufficient Funds

The City of Austin charges a fee for insufficient funds. The fee is charged in accordance with the Fee Schedule, as approved by City Council.

Removal from Autopay

The City of Austin reserves the right to remove you from Autopay if in any 12 month period two payments are declined (for insufficient funds, frozen account, etc.). If removed, you must wait 12 months to sign up again.